The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-06-28
TnE PRISONERS PEN.
Report of the Commissioners Appointed
to Inspect the Jail.

DR. Charles :. Mills. Messrs Thomas
Potts and Anthony Bargamin, commits
sioucl, appointed by the Hastings Court
10 inspect the jail yesterday presented
their report to Judge Atkins. In their
report of the inspection made June 10
the commissioners say
The general condition Of the Jail did
not present SO favorable an appearance
as we have observed i'm former visits
The entrance or outer yard had not re-
,elved proper attention 10 cleanliness,
and portion of it we found numbered
with barrels of fish and other stores pack
ed away under the stairway and upper
platform, crOwding and contracting this
area which should be kept free and un-
Obstructed at all times, "a I'm case of fire
or other emergency il would be needed
for the reception Of the prisoners and for
the free action Of The tremen.
The eastern enclosure allotted to the
safe keeping of the male white prisoners
presented a more satisfactory appearance,
showing no want of care and attention
10 cleanliness. though here, as in every
department Of the prison, the repulsiye
OdOr of the water closets is disgustingly
sensible :
"In the Western enclosure for male col
ored prisoners, constituting more than
one-hall of all the inmates Of the jail,
and consequently demanding more con
stant attention 10 cleanliness, the sanitary
arrangements are eill-cOnstructed and very
defective, and are liable TO become the
fruitful source of malignant infection.
Ii is not probable that the evil
can be entirely remedied in this buiiding,
though by p,0per care and vigilance the
nuisance might be greatly modified, and
we think vast improvement on the eX-
isting primiti e and i'll c0nstruc ed ar
rangements here adopted might be sug-
gested by the ingenuity OF qualified eX-
pert Decency, if not humanity, calls
loudly for remedy
During on. inspection Of the eastern
enclosure we were met by a number Of
the prisoners complaining most grieyOus-
ly of the fare furnished them, and judg-
ng by the specimen of a breakfast ration
exhibited by them, consisting Of a modi-
cum Of iii cooked cOrnbrcad and small
diaphanOus slice Of fat bacon, we could
but admit that ample cause existed fol
the complaint. Whether accidental OF
2remeditated, such causes Of complaint
are TO be deprecated They tend tC
arouse malignant feelings in the heart oi
prisoners and 10 convert them into i'm
placable enemies OF the law, and OF so
ciety. OF whose yindictiye persecution
they come 10 consider themselves the vic
Tins.
But we are of opinion that before an,
tribunal the bill Of fare here daily serye'
to the prisoners would be pronounced to'
uniform and inyarable, if OF good quail
ity and in sufficient quantity, more espe
pecially as it consists OF the cheapest an
cOarest articles Of food. IL might, W
think, be improved by the occasional sub
stitutiOn Of " heat for corn bread, of fres
meats for fat bacon or salt herrings, an
of a few fresh, succulent vegetables 10
dried peas
"Of the stores submitted 10 our inspeC
: tion we found the quality sound an
wholesome, with the exception OF th
coffee, which certainly is of the yer
lowest grade, and seemed to c0nsi.
= wholly of the rejected pickings of a col
demned lot. 1t should be changed.
"The general health and condition
= the prisoners We found good, of whol
there were l24, consisting of whites, se'
enteen males and two females colore,
F. seventy six males and twenty-nine f
males"